Telegram-herald., 1887-12-09
CHATTER III.


ladies. The m hn knows better now. lie goes
70 the smoking room of his club.
DIR. Wybrow lighted his cigar and looked
round him at lls brethrea in social eonelavs
assembled The room well filled, bat the
flow OF talk was still ianguid. TIE doctor
innocently applied the stimulant that was
wanted. When be inquired il anybody knew
the Countess Narona be was answered by
something like "a shout Of astonishment
Never lthe conclave agreed had such an alb
surd question been asked beforel Every
human creature. with the slightest claim TO a
place in society. knew the Countess Narona.
An adventures with European reputation
of the blaekest possible color-such was the
general description OF the woman with the
death Ike complexion and the glittering eyes
Descending 70 particulars, each member Of
the club contributed his own little stock OF
scandal 70 the memoirs Of the countess. IL
was doubtful whether she was really what
she called herself, = Dalmatian lady. II was
doubtful whether she had ever been married
20 the count whose widow she assumed to be-
I IL was doubtful whether the man who ac-
companed her in her travels under the name
of Baron Rivar, and in the character of her
brother) was her brother at all. Report
pointed to the baron a gambler at every
stable" on tire continent. Report whispered
that his so called sister had narrowly escaped
being implicated in famous trial for poison
ing at Viennn-that she had been known as
a spy in the interest OF Austria--that her
apartment in Paris had been denounced TO
the police as nothing less than a private gam
bling house-and that her present appearance
in England WAS the natural result of that
discovery Only one member Of the assem-
bly, in the smoking room took the part Of this
much abused woman and declared that her
character had been most cruelty and most
unjustly assailed. But as the man was a
lawyer, his interference went for nothing; it
was naturally attributed to the spirit of con-
tradiction inherenti in his profession. He was
asked derisively what he thought of the cir
cumstances under which the countess had be-
come engaged to be married, and he made
the characteristic answer, that he thought
the circumstances highly creditable to both
parties, and that he looked on the lady's fu-
turc husband rs a most enviable man.
Hearing this the doctor raised another
shout OF astonishment by inquiring the name
Of the gentleman whom sthe countess was
about to marry.
His friends in the smoking room decided
unanimously that the celebrated physician
must be a second "Trip Van Winkle,n and
that he had just awakened from a super
natural sleep of twenty years. 1t was all very
well to say that he was devoted to his profess
sion, and that he had neither time nor incli-
nation to pick up fragments of gossip at din
ner parties and balls A man who did not
know that the Countess Narona had borrowed
money at Homburg of no less a person than
Lord Montbarry, and had then deluded him
into making her proposal of marriage, was
man who had probably never heard of Lord
Montbarry himself The younger members
of the club, bumoring the joke, sent waiter
for The Peerage. and read aloud the memoir
of the nobleman ia question, for the doctors
benefit-with illustrative morsels OF informa-
tion interpolated by themselves.
~Herbert John Westwick. First Baron
Montbarry, Of Montbarry, Kings county,
ireland. Created a peer for distinguished
military services in India Forty-eight
years old. doctor at the present time.
Not married. VIII be married next week,
doctor, to the delightful creature we
have been talking about Heir presumptive,
his lordship's next brother, Stephen Robert,
married to Ella, youngest daughter of the
Rev. Silas Marden, rector of Runnigate, and
has issue, three daughters. Younger brothers
Of his lordship, Francis and Henry, unmar-
ried. Sisters of his lordship, Lady Barvile,
married TO Sir Theodore Barvlle, Bart, and
Anne, widow of the late Peter Norbury,
ESQ. of Norbury Gross Bear his lordship's
relations well in mind, doctor. Three broth
ers Westwick, Stephen, Francis and Henry,
and two sisters, Lady Barville and Mrs. Nor
bury. Not one OF the five will be present al
the marriage, and not one of the five viii
leave a stone unturned to stop it il the count
..f,- -srr.-o fhoDa Chau~o Add 10 hos
hostile members Of the family another
offended relative not mentioned i'm The Peer
age. young LADY,
A sudden outburst Of protest in more thar
one part Of the room stopped the coming dis
closure and released the doctor from furthel
persecution.
aDon't mention the poor girl s name; ii
toe bad TO make Joke Of that part Of tn
business; she has behaved nobiy under shame
ful provocation: there Is but ono excuse fc
: Nontbarry--he is either a mailman CT fool
, In these terms the protest expressed itself o
all sides Speaking confidentiaIly to his ne,
, | neighbor, the doctor discovered that the lad
referred 10 was already known 70 hin
, Through the countess' confessionl as the lad
deserted by Lord Montbarry Her name ws
Agnes lockwood She was described
= being the superior Of the countess in persona
: attraction, and ss bciag also by some year
: the younger woman of the two. Making 9
r allowance for tbe follies tina: men comfnitte
. every dav in their relations with womsl
Nontbsrry's delusion was still toe most mot
\ strous delusion on record. in tl.is expsessio
!. of opinion every man present sgreed-tt
;. lawyer even included Not one of tsei
could call ~ mind the innuruersble frstsnc'
= ! IN which the sexual influence has proved irr
: sistibla in the persons q women without eve
!. toe pretensioB 20 beauty. TIE very meTnhe'
A Of the club whom the countess fin spite II h
\ personal Disadvantages oonld have mo
: essily fascinated II sbe hsd tho1eht il wxt
A her while. were TIE members Who wonders
! most lou5iy ~ Montbsrry's choice II a wife
= Uhiie the top3c = ths countess rnsrrias
: vas sfin fha ere topic - conversation.
/. nserater q the clab entered TIE srookir
= room. whose sppearsnce Instantly prosiac.
: dad silsnce Dr. Wyhrc~'s next n<ixhns
= whisre-esI - hin. "Noutiarry's brother.
= Henry Westwickr
The pe- c-rner tookei sround him slovl
= vita batter sa1ie
:. aYou are taking = rav hroth>r. - 50
- eIoa's nssnd M Not oae * yao esa Sesri
|. him more Fsaraiy thsn I -. 90 On. esrt.
- r1En-G0 or
~ Rur o1e msa rreseat took tee sE3aker
= his wsrs 1hst usa res t1s lavfe~ vi
= hsf slrezty cnsevfskea TIA 6srenss - &
- roanfass
"a sfsnd s1cos - Ng gosfton. - ssi
- sns 7 zra ~of as1s1leG q rerea ~ l.
- srvsosv's fcarisz Z consider - Co1ats
:. a~cra - - ri.1ei lr tfeatAs w5sran "
-. .azak - - k~ss-s Ez..kx.zrxss q Z